I once believed that defense wins and offense determines the margin of victory. Now, maybe offense wins, provided you can defend "the hard stuff."
What defines the hard stuff? Our defensive mantra is "no easy baskets." What leads to easy baskets? Using the principle of inversion, what must we limit and specifically, how?
Sources of Easy Baskets
Transition offense.
Penetration.
Attacking closeouts off ball reversal.
Postups.
Free throws.
I haven't included "uncontested threes" because in youth basketball, few players provide consistent threats (3 in 10 threes = 45% twos).
Transition defense. (Get back, above)
"Basketball isn't a running game, it's a sprinting game." Transition D means sprinting, beating your player to half court, being engaged and communicating, protecting the basket and denying penetration. Good teams allow few transition baskets. Our goal is to allow no more than three.
4 by 4 by 4 continuous transition practices offense, defense, communication, and conditions.
Deny the paint. (No middle)
This also tests transition. If we allow dribble penetration (inability to contain the dribbler and win one-on-one battles), then we won't be very good.
Advantage-disadvantage drill demanding communication, decision-making, and high effort. Offense goes to defense and new group goes on offense.
Remind players to "know your NOs." No direct drives, no penetrating passes, no middle, no uncontested shots, no putbacks, no bad fouls. Drop to the level of the ball with the "Helpside I" (above) and load to the ball. Don't return to the basics...never leave them.
Closeouts.
Defending the pick-and-roll and closeouts are among the toughest assignments in basketball. There are many closeout drills. This is my favorite. We can add constraints to limit dribbles, require screening, or both.
No uncontested entry passes.
Some teams still have effect post players that demand denial.
Coach initiates play with pass to any post or perimeter player. Post defenders deny, perimeter players initially drop to level of the ball. Offense plays on its side of the split only. Once ball is entered, defense must work together to deny the post but also cover the give-and-go or pass-and-relocate (ball side). Defense can choose to front the post.
Hand discipline. Show your hands, be smart.
Good teams "foul for profit." Defensively, the mantra of "one bad shot" or "Hard 2's" gets violated by bad fouls. Make the officials see your hands, so they know you aren't reaching in.
Lagniappe:
Chris Oliver shares "stack overload" against 2-3 zone defense. Many of us run this type of action from a myriad of initial sets (box, triangle, 4 across high).
